Oracle® Web Applications Desktop Integrator · 1 Introduction to Web ADI ... Configuration contains information on system configuration steps, including defining concurrent programs

Oracle® Web Applications Desktop IntegratorImplementation and Administration GuideRelease 12Part No. B31411-01

October 2006

Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide, Release 12

Part No. B31411-01

Copyright © 2003, 2006, Oracle. All rights reserved.

Primary Author: Pradeep Kumar

Contributing Author: Alex Drexel, Leslie Studdard

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Contents

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Preface

1 Introduction to Web ADIOverview................................................................................................................................... 1-1Key Features.............................................................................................................................. 1-2Using Web ADI......................................................................................................................... 1-3

Prerequisites........................................................................................................................ 1-3Changing Macro Security Settings for Excel 2002 or 2003....................................................1-3

Process Flow for Web ADI........................................................................................................ 1-3Accessing Web ADI................................................................................................................... 1-4

2 Administering Web ADIDefining Layouts....................................................................................................................... 2-1

Defining a New Layout........................................................................................................2-2Defining Mappings................................................................................................................... 2-8Defining a New Mapping......................................................................................................... 2-9Defining a Style Sheet.............................................................................................................2-10Defining Setup Options for Key Flexfields............................................................................2-11

3 Creating a DocumentOverview................................................................................................................................... 3-1Creating a Spreadsheet.............................................................................................................. 3-2Working with Spreadsheets...................................................................................................... 3-4Uploading and Downloading Data from Spreadsheets........................................................... 3-6

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Uploading Data....................................................................................................................3-6Downloading Data............................................................................................................... 3-8

Monitoring Concurrent Requests............................................................................................. 3-8

A Implementing Web ADIOverview................................................................................................................................... A-1Set Profile Options....................................................................................................................A-1Setting Up Form Functions, Menus, and Responsibilities...................................................... A-4Granting Users the Ability to Create Documents.................................................................... A-6

B Frequently Asked QuestionsGeneral Issues........................................................................................................................... B-1Technical Issues........................................................................................................................ B-2

Index

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Send Us Your Comments

Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide, Release 12Part No. B31411-01

Oracle welcomes customers' comments and suggestions on the quality and usefulness of this document. Your feedback is important, and helps us to best meet your needs as a user of our products. For example:

• Are the implementation steps correct and complete? • Did you understand the context of the procedures? • Did you find any errors in the information? • Does the structure of the information help you with your tasks? • Do you need different information or graphics? If so, where, and in what format? • Are the examples correct? Do you need more examples?

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Preface

Intended AudienceWelcome to Release 12 of the Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide.

This guide assumes you have a working knowledge of the following:

• The principles and customary practices of your business area.

• Computer desktop application usage and terminology.

If you have never used Oracle Applications, we suggest you attend one or more of the Oracle Applications training classes available through Oracle University.

See Related Information Sources on page viii for more Oracle Applications product information.

TTY Access to Oracle Support ServicesOracle provides dedicated Text Telephone (TTY) access to Oracle Support Services within the United States of America 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For TTY support, call 800.446.2398.

Documentation AccessibilityOur goal is to make Oracle products, services, and supporting documentation accessible, with good usability, to the disabled community. To that end, our documentation includes features that make information available to users of assistive technology. This documentation is available in HTML format, and contains markup to facilitate access by the disabled community. Accessibility standards will continue to evolve over time, and Oracle is actively engaged with other market-leading technology vendors to address technical obstacles so that our documentation can be accessible to all

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of our customers. For more information, visit the Oracle Accessibility Program Web site at http://www.oracle.com/accessibility/ .

Accessibility of Code Examples in DocumentationScreen readers may not always correctly read the code examples in this document. The conventions for writing code require that closing braces should appear on an otherwise empty line; however, some screen readers may not always read a line of text that consists solely of a bracket or brace.

Accessibility of Links to External Web Sites in DocumentationThis documentation may contain links to Web sites of other companies or organizationsthat Oracle does not own or control. Oracle neither evaluates nor makes any representations regarding the accessibility of these Web sites.

Structure1 Introduction to Web ADI2 Administering Web ADI3 Creating a DocumentA Implementing Web ADIB Frequently Asked Questions

Related Information SourcesThis book is included on the Oracle Applications Documentation Library CD, which is supplied in the Release 12 CD Pack. You can download soft-copy documentation as PDF files from the Oracle Technology Network at http://otn.oracle.com/documentation, or you can purchase hard-copy documentation from the Oracle Store at http://oraclestore.oracle.com. The Oracle Applications Documentation Library CD-ROMRelease 12 contains the latest information, including any documents that have changed significantly between releases. If substantial changes to this book are necessary, a revised version will be made available on the "virtual" documentation CD on OracleMetaLink.

For a full list of documentation resources for Oracle Applications Release 12, see Oracle Applications Documentation Resources, Release 12, OracleMetaLink Document 394692.1.

If this guide refers you to other Oracle Applications documentation, use only the Release 12 versions of those guides.

Online Documentation

All Oracle Applications documentation is available online (HTML or PDF).

• Online Help - Online help patches (HTML) are available on OracleMetaLink.

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• PDF Documentation - See the Oracle Applications Documentation Library CD for current PDF documentation for your product with each release. The Oracle Applications Documentation Library is also available on OracleMetaLink and is updated frequently.

• Oracle Electronic Technical Reference Manual - The Oracle Electronic Technical Reference Manual (eTRM) contains database diagrams and a detailed description ofdatabase tables, forms, reports, and programs for each Oracle Applications product.This information helps you convert data from your existing applications and integrate Oracle Applications data with non-Oracle applications, and write custom reports for Oracle Applications products. The Oracle eTRM is available on OracleMetaLink.

Oracle Applications User's GuideThis guide explains how to navigate, enter data, query, and run reports using the user interface (UI) of Oracle Applications. This guide also includes information on setting user profiles, as well as running and reviewing concurrent requests

Oracle General Ledger User's GuideThis guide provides information on how to use Oracle General Ledger. Use this guide to learn how to create and maintain ledgers, ledger currencies, budgets, and journal entries. This guide also includes information about running financial reports.

Oracle Applications ConceptsThis book is intended for all those planning to deploy Oracle E-Business Suite Release 12, or contemplating significant changes to a configuration. After describing the Oracle Applications architecture and technology stack, it focuses on strategic topics, giving a broad outline of the actions needed to achieve a particular goal, plus the installation andconfiguration choices that may be available.

Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide Documentation SetThis documentation set provides planning and reference information for the Oracle Applications System Administrator. Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide - Configuration contains information on system configuration steps, including defining concurrent programs and managers, enabling Oracle Applications Manager features, and setting up printers and online help. Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide - Maintenance provides information for frequent tasks such as monitoring your system with Oracle Applications Manager, managing concurrent managers and reports, using diagnostic utilities, managing profile options, and using alerts. Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide - Security describes User Management, data security, function security, auditing, and security configurations.

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Oracle Applications Multiple Organizations Implementation Guide This guide describes the multiple organizations concepts in Oracle Applications. It describes in detail on setting up and working effectively with multiple organizations in Oracle Applications.

Oracle Applications Flexfields GuideThis guide provides flexfields planning, setup, and reference information for the Oracle Applications implementation team, as well as for users responsible for the ongoing maintenance of Oracle Applications product data. This guide also provides information on creating custom reports on flexfields data

Integration RepositoryThe Oracle Integration Repository is a compilation of information about the service endpoints exposed by the Oracle E-Business Suite of applications. It provides a complete catalog of Oracle E-Business Suite's business service interfaces. The tool lets users easily discover and deploy the appropriate business service interface for integration with any system, application, or business partner.

The Oracle Integration Repository is shipped as part of the E-Business Suite. As your instance is patched, the repository is automatically updated with content appropriate for the precise revisions of interfaces in your environment.

Do Not Use Database Tools to Modify Oracle Applications DataOracle STRONGLY RECOMMENDS that you never use SQL*Plus, Oracle Data Browser, database triggers, or any other tool to modify Oracle Applications data unless otherwise instructed.

Oracle provides powerful tools you can use to create, store, change, retrieve, and maintain information in an Oracle database. But if you use Oracle tools such as SQL*Plus to modify Oracle Applications data, you risk destroying the integrity of your data and you lose the ability to audit changes to your data.

Because Oracle Applications tables are interrelated, any change you make using an Oracle Applications form can update many tables at once. But when you modify Oracle Applications data using anything other than Oracle Applications, you may change a row in one table without making corresponding changes in related tables. If your tables get out of synchronization with each other, you risk retrieving erroneous information and you risk unpredictable results throughout Oracle Applications.

When you use Oracle Applications to modify your data, Oracle Applications automatically checks that your changes are valid. Oracle Applications also keeps track of who changes information. If you enter information into database tables using database tools, you may store invalid information. You also lose the ability to track who

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has changed your information because SQL*Plus and other database tools do not keep arecord of changes.

Introduction to Web ADI 1-1

1Introduction to Web ADI

This chapter covers the following topics:

• Overview

• Key Features

• Using Web ADI

• Process Flow for Web ADI

• Accessing Web ADI

OverviewWeb ADI brings Oracle E-Business Suite functionality to the desktop where the familiar Microsoft Excel, Word, and Project applications can be used to complete your Oracle E-Business Suite tasks. This guide provides instructions on using the Microsoft Excel functionality. For further information on using the Word and Project features, see the Oracle HRMS Configuring, Reporting, and System Administration Guide and the Oracle Projects Implementation Guide.

The Web ADI integration with Microsoft Excel enables you to bring your E-Business Suite data to a spreadsheet where familiar data entry and modeling techniques can be used to complete Oracle E-Business Suite tasks. You can create formatted spreadsheets on your desktop that allow you to download, view, edit, and create Oracle E-Business Suite data. Use data entry shortcuts (such as copying and pasting or dragging and dropping ranges of cells) or Excel formulas to calculate amounts to save time. You can combine speed and accuracy by invoking lists of values for fields within the spreadsheet.

After editing the spreadsheet, you can use Web ADI's validation functionality to validate the data before uploading it to the Oracle E-Business Suite. Validation messages are returned to the spreadsheet, allowing you to identify and correct invalid data.

The fields that appear in the spreadsheet, their positions, and their default values can all

1-2 Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide

be customized through Web ADI's Layout functionality. This allows you to create a more productive work environment by removing unnecessary fields from the spreadsheet, and by organizing the spreadsheet in a way that conforms to your practices.

Key FeaturesOracle Web ADI includes the following features:

Works Via Internet

Web ADI uses Internet computing architecture to lower the total cost of ownership by having the product centrally installed and maintained. No installation is required on client machines; you need only a Web browser and Microsoft Excel. This architecture also provides superior performance over a WAN or dialup connection, since the exchange between client and server is simplified through the use of HTML.

Presents E-Business Suite Data in a Spreadsheet Interface

Spreadsheets provide a familiar interface that is common in the business environment. You can use familiar editing capabilities such as copying and pasting data, and moving ranges of cells to create or edit large amounts of data. Recurring data entry is possible by saving a spreadsheet, and then uploading it at needed intervals, such as every monthor every quarter. Spreadsheets offer additional flexibility in the way work is done; they can be sent to others for approval or review, and they can be edited when disconnected from a network.

Validates Data

All data in the spreadsheet can be validated against Oracle E-Business Suite business rules before it is uploaded. This includes validation against key and descriptive flexfields. Data is validated against accounts, segment security rules, and cross validation rules. If any errors are found, messages are returned directly to the spreadsheet, enabling you to correct the errors and successfully upload the data.

Enables Customizations

You can use the layout functionality to determine what fields appear in your spreadsheet, where they appear, and if they contain default values. These definitions can be saved, reused, and modified as needed.

Automatically Imports Data

Wed ADI automatically imports data into your Web ADI spreadsheets whenever you create them. This information can come from the Oracle E-Business Suite or from a text file. Imported information can be quickly modified in Excel, validated, and uploaded to the Oracle E-Business Suite. This feature can be useful when migrating data from a legacy system to the Oracle E-Business Suite.


Using Web ADIThe Oracle E-Business Suite task you perform on the desktop is determined by the integrator you select in Web ADI. Each integrator is delivered with the E-Business Suite product that provides the functionality being integrated with the desktop. Additional information specific to each integrator can be found in the product-specific documentation.

You can access Web ADI functionality through a Self Service link on your personal home page.

PrerequisitesThe following are the prerequisites for Web ADI:

• Client PC with Windows ME, Windows NT 4.0 (with Service Pack 3 or later), Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows 98 installed on it.

• A Web browser supported by the E-Business Suite installed on the client PC.

See OracleMetaLink note 389422.1, "Recommended Browsers for Oracle Applications," for the list of supported browsers.

• Microsoft Excel 2000, 2002, or 2003 installed on the client PC.

Changing Macro Security Settings for Excel 2002 or 2003For Web ADI to work with Microsoft Excel 2002/2003, you must change the macro settings for Excel 2002/2003. To do so:

1. In Excel, from the Tools menu, select Macro, then Security, then Security Level.

2. Select the "Medium" option.

3. Select the Trusted Sources tab.

4. Select the "Trust access to Visual Basic Project" option.

Process Flow for Web ADIWeb ADI uses the following process to upload data to the Oracle E-Business Suite:

1. Define a layout that determines what fields appear in your spreadsheet (conditional).

Note: Layouts may already be defined for your spreadsheet. See the


product-specific documentation to determine if you are required to define the layout.

2. Define a mapping to allow data to be imported into the spreadsheet (conditional).

Note: A mapping may already be defined for your spreadsheet. Seethe product-specific documentation to determine if you are required to define a mapping.

3. Create the spreadsheet.

4. If the spreadsheet integration allows upload, you can upload the data to the Oracle E-Business Suite.

5. Monitor the progress of your upload.

Accessing Web ADI

System Administrators:System Administrators can access Web ADI functionality from the Desktop Integration responsibility. Use this responsibility to access the following functionality:

• Create Document

• Define Layout

• Define Mapping

• Setup Options

• Define Stylesheet

• Manage Document Links

System Administrators can also edit mappings and layouts for all integrators.

End Users:Because Web ADI can be integrated with Oracle E-Business Suite applications according to product-specific business flows, end user access depends on individual product implementations.

Generally, the product implementation follows one of two methods:


• The product integrates the generate spreadsheet functionality within its own functional page flow. Web ADI is used in the background to generate the spreadsheet. This is the most common method.

• The product provides a self-service menu item that invokes the Web ADI Create Document page flow.

See the product-specific documentation for details on accessing the Desktop Integration functionality.

Administering Web ADI 2-1

2Administering Web ADI


• Defining Layouts

• Defining Mappings

• Defining a New Mapping

• Defining a Style Sheet

• Defining Setup Options for Key Flexfields

Defining LayoutsLayouts enable you to customize the user interface presented in your spreadsheet. Use the layout functionality to determine the fields in a spreadsheet, set their positions, and specify default values for the fields.

A layout must be available before you create a spreadsheet in the Create Document flow. Some integrators offer predefined layouts, or you can use the procedure describedin this chapter to create a layout.

Note: For some products, the layouts are predefined and preselected. Therefore you cannot select an alternate layout during document creation.

Note: Unless your User is assigned the System Administrator responsibility, you must be granted access to an integrator to modify itslayout. Specific form functions grant access to specific integrators. See the product-specific documentation for information regarding access to individual integrator layouts.

Use the Define Layout flow to perform the following:


• Define a new layout

• Modify an existing layout

• Duplicate a layout from the list and save it under a different name. You can then modify this duplicated layout.

• Delete a layout from the list

Defining a New LayoutUse this procedure to define or modify a layout. The define layout flow consists of the following actions:

1. Select the integrator.

2. Select an existing layout to update or create a new layout.

3. Enter a name for the layout and select the number of headers.

4. Select the fields to appear on the layout, set defaults for the fields, and select the placement of the field as context, header, or line item.

5. Set properties for the layout components including field width or column span, hidden or unhidden, and position.

Define Layout FlowTo access the Define Layout flow: From the Oracle Applications navigator, select Define Layout. This may be under the Desktop Integration responsibility, or it may be located under a different responsibility assigned to you by your system administrator.

1. Select the integrator. Existing layouts for the integrator will be displayed.

2. Choose Create to create a new layout; or, select an existing layout and choose Update to modify it. To create a new layout based on an existing layout, select Duplicate.

3. Enter a Layout Name and specify the Number of Headers to place across the top of the document.

If your document has one header, all fields that you identify as Header fields will display in a single list. If your layout includes numerous header fields, you may consider defining multiple headers to place them horizontally across the top of yourdocument.

4. Determine the fields to be included in the Layout, their placement and default values. The page displays Required Fields and Optional Fields.


Some integrators offer the option Include Graph of Lines Data. Select the box to include a graph.

All required fields must be included in your layout. Include optional fields by selecting the Select box. The following table describes the options available for the fields in your layout:

Layout Field Options

Fields Description

Placement Defines the location of the field on the spreadsheet. Choicesare Context, Header, and Line. In your spreadsheet:

• Context: Appears at the top of the spreadsheet as read-only, contextual information.

• Header: Fields whose values do not change for every record you are uploading. This region appears above the line region in the spreadsheet. If you specified multiple headers, select the one you wish the field to display in (for example: Header 1, Header 2, or Header3).

• Line: Fields whose values change for every record that is uploaded to Oracle Applications. The rows of data inthis region represent every record that will be uploaded.

Default Types Note that some fields will have defaults predefined.

Default Type - Constant Used when the text entered in the Default Value field is used as the default value in the spreadsheet.

Default Type - Environment Used to reference an environment variable when setting a default for a field. Values are as follows:

• sysdate: System date

• database: Name of the current database

• oauser.id: ID of your current Oracle Applications user


Fields Description

Default Type - Parameter Used to reference a parameter that your system administrator stores in the form function (Self Service Link)that you use to access the Create Document flow. The parameters that can be referenced are specific to each integrator. See the product-specific documentation for the valid values for the default type.

Default Type -SQL Used to run a SQL statement to determine the default for the field. Web ADI runs the SQL statement entered in the Default Value field and automatically populates the spreadsheet with the results. If more than one value is returned from the query, it uses the first value.

You can use the following tokens in the SQL statement for the Default Value field:

• $profiles$.profilename: Returns the value for the current user's profile when you enter the name of the profile option.

• $env$.userid: Returns the current user ID.

• $env$.appid: Returns the current application ID.

• $env$.respid: Returns the current responsibility ID.

• $env$.language: Returns the current session language.

Default Type - Formula You can enter Excel-compatible formulas as default values for fields. Follow the Excel formula syntax and enclose fieldnames in brackets.

For example: [credit]+[debit]

Note that referencing the field names rather than the cell names prevents your formulas from being corrupted if the order of the fields is changed in the layout.

5. In the Create Layout page, define display properties for the page components. Use this page to mark fields as Read Only, to Hide fields, and to move the fields up or down in the display order.

Document Properties• Protect Sheet - select Yes or No to set the state of the document when

downloaded. A protected sheet will allow you to update the data fields but will


not allow you to insert rows. The user can change this setting in Excel by selecting Protection from the Tools menu.

• Stylesheet - select a stylesheet to apply to the document. See Defining a Stylesheet, page 2-10.

• Apply Filters - select Yes to enable Microsoft Excel filters for the lines region when the document is downloaded. The user can change this setting in Excel byselecting Filters from the Oracle menu.

If you selected the Include Graph of Lines Data check box on the previous page, thispage will include a section to enter your graph properties. Enter the following:

• Enter a graph Title

• Select the Graph Type: Area, Bar, Column, Line, or Pie

• Select the Subtype: 3D (three-dimensional) or 2D (two-dimensional)

• For 2D charts: Enter the titles for the Category (X) Axis and theValue (Y) axis.

For 3D charts: Enter the titles for the Category (X) Axis, Series (Y) Axis, and theValue (Z) Axis.

• Enter the Category Columns. The data from these columns will be represented on the x-axis. Separate each column name with a comma. Each name entered must be a valid column name occurring in the layout definition.

• Enter the Series Columns. The data from these columns will be represented on the y-axis. Separate each column name with a comma. Each name entered must be a valid column name occurring in the layout definition.

Context and Header Field Properties• Prompt Span - enter the number of columns that the field prompt will span.

Important: For context and header fields, you set the number ofcolumns for the Prompt, Hint, and Data to span. You set the column widths for the fields at the Line level. Therefore, when setting the column spans for a header or context field, be awarethat the width of a column is determined by the width of the line fields in the spreadsheet. See Design Considerations, page 2-6.

• Title - (optional) enter a title for the header.

• Hint Span - enter the number of columns for the field hint to span. The hint for a field can include the following:


• * - indicates the field is required.

• List - indicates that the field provides a list of values. Double-click the field to invoke the list.

• Data type - the data type for each field is always displayed. For example, Text or Number.

• Data Span - enter the number of columns for the data to span.

• Hide - select this box if you want the field hidden on the spreadsheet.

• Read Only - select this box if you want the field to display as a nonupdateable, read-only field.

Line Region Properties• Data Entry Rows - enter the number of blank rows to display when the

document is generated. The user can add more rows once the document is downloaded to Excel.

• Width - enter the width of the field in characters.

• Frozen Pane - use this selection to set the fields that you want to remain visible while you scroll horizontally across the spreadsheet.

• Read Only

Design ConsiderationsWhen setting the column spans for context and header fields, you must consider the column widths that are set at the line item level. The following figure shows the layout specifications for the Context fields and how these specifications rendered in the actual document. The Context Prompt Span is defined as 5 columns and the Context Data Span is defined as 4 columns. Note that the Prompt span covers columns B through D:

• Column B is the automatically generated Upload line item column

• Column C is the Period line item column

• Columns D, E, and F are key flexfield segment columns


The next example shows the Hint Span for the Header set to 1. In this case because the column that the hint falls into is narrow, all the hints are not displayed. To correct this for this example, expand the Hint Span to 3.

The following figure shows the same document after increasing the Header Hint Span to 3.


Note that achieving the desired layout may require several iterations, as changing the column spans for the fields in the first header will affect the placement of the fields in the second header. For example, in the preceding figure, when the Hint Span was changed to 3 for Header 1, the Hint text for Header 2 was moved to a narrower column resulting in part of that text being hidden.

Defining MappingsYou can choose to automatically import data into the spreadsheet during the Create Document flow, as discussed in Creating a Document, page 3-1. When you choose to import data on the Content page, Web ADI prompts you to select a mapping. Web ADI requires a mapping in order to determine where imported data should be placed in the spreadsheet.

Mapping associates columns in the imported data with columns in the spreadsheet. Youdo not need to create new mappings for fields that do not have data, or if a mapped field is not included in the spreadsheet. You need to create multiple mappings for Content only if the associations between the downloaded columns and the fields in the spreadsheet change. If you import text files with varied data structures, you may have to define more than one mapping for each text file variation.

Note: Do not modify Contents that download data from the Oracle E-Business Suite.


Note: To modify an integrator's mappings, you must be granted access to the integrator or have the System Administrator responsibility. Specific form functions grant access to specific integrators. See the product documentation for the form functions that must be added to your menu to have access to an integrator's list of mappings.

Defining a New MappingUse this procedure to define mapping between source data and columns in a spreadsheet.

Steps:1. From the Oracle E-Business Suite Navigator, select the Define Mapping link. This

may be under the Desktop Integration responsibility, or it may be located under a different responsibility assigned to you by your system administrator.

2. In the Mapping window, select an integrator.

3. In the Select Content window, select a content to import. For example, Text File.

Content indicates the information you will import into your spreadsheet. One or more mappings can be defined for a particular content.

4. In the Select Mapping window, select Define Mapping. Enter a name for the new mapping, and the number of columns to be mapped.

5. In the Define Mapping - Source to Target Columns window, associate columns being imported from the content to fields in the spreadsheet.

• Click the list of values for the Source Column to view a list of available columnsto import, and then enter the search criteria. (If you know the name of the Source Column, you can type it directly into the field without using the list of values.) Click the radio button next to the column name, and then click select to select columns to map.

• Use the Target Column field next to each Source Column to create a mapping between the two fields. The Target Column list of values contains a list of columns that can exist in a spreadsheet. You may add new rows if more columns need to be mapped. Click the list of values for the Target Column to view a list of available columns to import, and then enter the search criteria. Click the radio button next to the column name, and then click select to select columns to map.

• Some Target Columns support the translation of ID values from Source Columns. To find out if the translation of IDs is supported by a specific


column, select that column and click Lookup. If the column supports the IDtranslation, a check box appears under Lookup for that column name. To perform the ID translation, select the Lookup check box for the desired columns.

6. Apply the mapping definition you have created.

Defining a Style SheetThe Style Sheet enables you to define the colors and fonts to apply to the sheet, the prompts, the hints, and the data fields of your document.

Navigate to the Create Style Sheet page using the Define Style Sheet link. This may beunder the Desktop Integration responsibility, or it may be located under a different responsibility assigned to you by your system administrator.

You can define the following properties for the Sheet, the Prompts, the Hints, and the Data fields:

• Background color

• Font color

• Font Family

• Font Style

• Font size

Select a Read Only color to apply to the background of read-only fields. Read-only


fields take the font properties of Data fields.

Use the color picker to select a color, or for additional color options, you can enter the hexadecimal value for the color in the field provided (for example, enter #A52A2A for brown).

The following figure shows the style sheet items as they appear on a generated document:

Defining Setup Options for Key FlexfieldsWeb ADI provides the option to set right-justification and zero padding for every segment of a key flexfield, regardless of this setting at the value set level.

Lists of values for flexfields apply character format masks after a segment value has been selected. These format masks such as right-justify and zero padding and maximum character width are derived from the flexfield value set definition. Use the Web ADI Setup Options feature to override the values specified in the value set definition.

Note: If you are migrating from client server ADI, this provides the equivalent functionality to the Zero Pad Account Values feature.

To set the right-justify and zero-fill format mask for a key flexfield, or for a specific key flexfield structure:

1. From the Oracle E-Business Suite Navigator, select Desktop Integration, then Setup


Options.

2. Choose Select Key Flexfields.

3. To apply the right-justify and zero-fill format mask to every structure of a flexfield, select it from the list.

4. To apply the format mask to specific structures of the key flexfield, choose Select Structure, then select the appropriate structures.

The Overridden column will display the number of structures selected.

Creating a Document 3-1

3Creating a Document


• Overview

• Creating a Spreadsheet

• Working with Spreadsheets

• Uploading and Downloading Data from Spreadsheets

• Monitoring Concurrent Requests

OverviewThe Create Document workflow guides you through steps that allow you to create yourspreadsheet. This section only applies to those products that instruct users to create documents through a form function that calls the Web ADI Create Document page flow. See your product documentation for information specific to accessing its spreadsheet functionality.

Note: Before you create your spreadsheet, make sure at least one layouthas been defined. Layouts determine the fields that appear in the spreadsheet you will create. If you intend to automatically import information into the spreadsheet, make sure that a mapping has been defined. For details on defining layouts and mapping, see Administering Web ADI, page 2-1.

After you have defined the parameters for your spreadsheet, you can review them before creating the spreadsheet.

Note that the Create Document process varies depending on how it is implemented. Also, some of the parameters in the Create Document windows might be pre-configured by your system administrator.


Creating a SpreadsheetUse this procedure to create a spreadsheet on your desktop to which you can import data from the Oracle E-Business Suite.

There are three possible procedure flows for creating a spreadsheet:

• The product uses the Create Document page flow, described in the following procedure.

• The product calls the Create Document page flow from within its application. In this case, you will follow one or more of the following steps depending on the product implementation. See your product documentation for details.

• The product calls the Create Document page flow, but does not require user input for these steps. The spreadsheet will be automatically created as described in Step 8.

Steps:1. From the Oracle Applications Navigator, select the link appropriate for your

product to create a document.

2. In the Integrator window, select an integrator. The integrator defines the task you will be performing. For example, to use spreadsheets to upload data to General Ledger, select General Ledger - Journals Integrator.

Note: You must be granted access to an integrator by your system administrator. Specific form functions grant access to specific integrators. See the product documentation for information on yourproduct's form functions.

3. In the Viewer window, select the viewer that you want to use to open your spreadsheet. For example, Excel 2000.

Select the Reporting box only if you want to create a spreadsheet that does not allow data upload.

4. In the Layout window, select a layout. Layouts determine which fields are included in your spreadsheet, their placement, and any default values. See Administering Web ADI, page 2-1 for details on defining custom layouts.

5. In the Content window, select the content to import. This window allows you to define a blank spreadsheet (None option) or automatically populate the spreadsheet(for example, using a Text File). There may be other options available, depending on the integrator.


• If you select None, selecting Next will take you to Step 7.

• If you select Text, selecting Next will take you to Step 6.

• If you select a product-specific option, depending on the integrator you are using, Web ADI prompts you for mapping information and parameters required by the content. See your product documentation.

6. If you selected the Text File option, select the Mapping to use in order to map the text file or other data to the spreadsheet columns. Select Browse to locate the text file in your local system.

• Indicate the delimiter used in the text file. Enter the delimiter directly into the text field if you select Other.

• Select Ignore Consecutive Delimiters if you do not want to insert a null value into the spreadsheet when two delimiters exist side by side in the text file.

• Enter the line in the text file where you want to start importing. The first few lines in a text file may be header information that you do not want to import into the spreadsheet.

Note: If you work in a multi-byte environment, save the text file with UTF-8 encoding before importing the text file.

See Administering Web ADI, page 2-1 for details on defining custom mappings.

7. In the Review window, optionally, click Save. The Select Shortcut window allows you to select a shortcut that appears at the beginning of the Create Document flow. Specify the shortcut name and choose the settings you want to save. Any settings that you save will be pre-specified whenever you use this shortcut, and the pages displaying those settings will be skipped.

Note: System administrators can save the shortcut to a form function, and attach the form function to a user's menu.

8. Create your spreadsheet by selecting Create Document (or the link specified by your product documentation). Your browser will prompt you to download the file "WebADI.xls". Select Open, then select Enable Macros. The Excel file will open and a small window will open that will format the Excel file.

If you selected a Content in Step 5, the data will be downloaded.

Do not close the window or use Excel until this window indicates that formatting is complete.

After you have finished modifying the spreadsheet, you can upload the data.


Note: You cannot copy an entire worksheet to a different worksheet; however, you can copy row and column values from one worksheet to another Web ADI worksheet, and then upload the data. Copying the entire worksheet is not supported because, while rows and columns are copied, the macro code behind the Web ADI worksheet is not copied over to the new sheet.

Working with SpreadsheetsOnce you have created and downloaded your document, Web ADI provides features that extend the functionality of the spreadsheet. The following figure highlights some ofthe features described in this section.

Viewing DataThe toggle bars at the top of the spreadsheet allow you to toggle on and off the views of each of the sections: Context, Header, and Lines.

Web ADI enables you to turn on Microsoft Excel filtering on the line items. This is useful when your spreadsheet contains many rows of data. To enable filters, from the Oracle menu select Filters, then Show Filters. To turn filters off, from the Oracle menu select Filters, Hide Filters.


Multiple WorksheetsYour spreadsheet may contain multiple worksheets if your product integrator is defined to generate multiple worksheets or if your downloaded data exceeds 64,000 rows, multiple worksheets will be automatically created.

If your spreadsheet contains multiple worksheets, then at upload time you will be presented the options of Upload or Upload All. Upload will upload only the current worksheet. Upload All will upload all worksheets.

Viewing GraphsIf your integrator supports graphs, your spreadsheet will include additional graphing options.

If the layout for your integrator was designed with the option Include Graph of Lines Data selected, then a graph of the data will be generated when you download the spreadsheet. Otherwise, view the graph of your line data by selecting Create Graph from the Oracle menu.

The Create Graph menu item provides the following options:

• Graph All - creates a graph of the data on the active worksheet.

• Graph Selection - creates a graph of the selected data on the spreadsheet.

• Graph Variation - this option is available for multi-sheet downloads, where each sheet contains data from a different source. The data in each sheet shares the same Category and Series. The graph will display the same series column from each worksheet.

Note: Excel limits the number of data points that can be used in a graph.

Note: Web ADI graphs the data according to the graph definition specified in the layout. For more information, see Document Properties,page 2-4. The graph can be changed on the graph page by selecting Graph from the Oracle menu. Select Modify Graph Type or Modify Graph Options.

Adding Rows to a SpreadsheetTo add rows to an open spreadsheet:

Steps:1. Unprotect the spreadsheet: Select Tools, then Protection, then Unprotect Sheet.


Note that some spreadsheets are defined with protection turned off.

Note: Certain regions of the spreadsheet will remain uneditable even when protection is turned off.

2. Select a row in the lines section of the spreadsheet.

3. Select Insert, then Rows. Repeat to add as many rows as you need. Web ADI displays a flag in the Upl column beside every row you add.

4. To enter data, either type the data directly in the spreadsheet field, or if the field shows the List hint, then you can double-click the field to access the list of values. The hint text for the field displays an asterisk (*) if the field is required, and indicates the data type of the field (number or text).

5. If desired, protect the spreadsheet by selecting Tools, then Protection, then Protect Sheet.

Entering Data

Steps:1. To enter data, either type the data directly in the spreadsheet field, or if the field

shows the List hint, then you can double-click the field to access the list of values. The hint text for the field displays an asterisk (*) if the field is required, and indicates the data type of the field (number or text).

2. If desired, protect the spreadsheet by selecting Tools, then Protection, then Protect Sheet.

Uploading and Downloading Data from Spreadsheets

Uploading DataAfter creating and modifying your spreadsheet, you can upload the data to Oracle Applications.

Note: Not all spreadsheets support upload.

Use the following procedure to upload data:

Steps

1. While viewing your spreadsheet, choose Upload from the Oracle menu. The


Upload Parameters window appears.

2. Select the desired parameters.

Upload parameters depend on the integrator you select. Moreover, your system administrator might disallow you from changing upload parameters using the WebADI: Allow Set Parameters profile option. See your product documentation for information on the available parameters.

The following table shows some common parameters that you may see:

Upload Parameter

Description

Rows to Upload • All Rows

Select to upload all rows in your spreadsheet, regardless of whether changes have been made.

• Flagged Rows

Select to upload only those rows that are marked with a flag character in the Upl column of your spreadsheet. Web ADI displays a flag character against a row that has changed.

Validate Before Upload

Recommended. Validating prevents invalid data from being uploaded to Oracle Applications. It is useful when you expect the import process to be quite lengthy or when you plan to run it unattended, such as overnight.

Automatically Submit Import

Select this option to automatically submit a processing request for the data after upload.

This parameter is available when a post-processing procedure has been setup for the integrator. A post-processing procedure may be a call to a server-side procedure or a concurrent program to continue processing the data in the E-Business Suite.

3. Start the upload process. After the upload process completes, the upload window indicates whether or not the upload was successful. Web ADI returns messages to the spreadsheet identifying all rows containing invalid values. If the data in any rows are invalid, Web ADI does not upload any of the data in the spreadsheet. You must correct all errors to successfully upload the spreadsheet.

Any errors that occur during the upload of a multi-sheet workbook will also be displayed in a Summary Worksheet. The Summary Worksheet enables you to see all errors and link to them.


Downloading DataDownload enables you to refresh data that you have imported into your spreadsheet. This option is available only if the spreadsheet contains imported data. To download or refresh data, from the Oracle menu select Download.

Note: Any new rows of data or other modifications that you have madeon the spreadsheet will be overwritten when you use Download to refresh the data. Some product integrators may not allow refresh.

If you imported data from a text file, Download will not be available.

Monitoring Concurrent RequestsThe upload process of some of the integrators starts a concurrent program to import thedata you have uploaded to an interface table in Oracle Applications. You can monitor concurrent requests from the spreadsheet.

To monitor concurrent requests from the spreadsheet, select the Oracle menu, then Monitor. The Monitor Requests window displays the last 10 concurrent requests submitted by the current user.

Implementing Web ADI A-1

AImplementing Web ADI

This appendix covers the following topics:

• Overview

• Set Profile Options

• Setting Up Form Functions, Menus, and Responsibilities

• Granting Users the Ability to Create Documents

OverviewThis section describes how to implement Web ADI. It applies to all integrators that use the Create Document page flow. It describes how to set up form functions to call the Web ADI Create Document page flow. Once set up, the user can create a spreadsheet to download and upload data to a specific product. Use this appendix in conjunction with the product-specific documentation.

Set Profile OptionsThe following profile options can be set to control specific Web ADI functions in your system. For more information on profile options, see Setting User Profile Options, Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide - Maintenance.

Profile OptionsYou must set a value for profile options followed by the word "required," no default is supplied. Ordinary users can see profile options followed by the word "exposed," only system administrators can see the rest. Further details follow the list, click an item to find them.

BNE Allow No Security Rule

BNE Allow Set Parameters

A-2 Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide

BNE Debug Log Directory

BNE Debug Log Filename

BNE Debug Log Level

BNE Disable

BNE Document Lifetime

BNE Enforce Parameter Values

BNE Excel Worksheet Maximum

BNE Redirect Portal URL

BNE Upload Batch Size

BNE XML Response Compression

BNE Allow No Security RuleSet this profile option to Yes only when instructed by Oracle Support.

The default value is No.

BNE Allow Set ParametersValid values are Yes and No. If it is set to No, users will not be able to access the upload parameters window.

BNE Debug Log DirectoryThis profile option can be used to set the directory for the Web ADI log file on the applications server. If this profile option is not set, then FND_TOP/log directory is used.

The default value is FND_TOP/log.

BNE Debug Log FilenameUse this profile option to change the name of the Web ADI log file on the middle tier. If this profile option is not set, bne.log is used.

The default value is bne.log.

BNE Debug Log Level This profile option determines the level of detail that is recorded in the Web ADI log file. The valid values are listed below. The level of granularity and amount of information recorded to the log file increases as you move down the list.

• CRITICAL_ERROR – Messages that are the result of a system failure. The integrity and reliability of the system is in doubt as a result of this error.


• ERROR – Messages that are the result of an unexpected error in the system. It is possible to recover from these errors; the system may still be in a usable state. Setting the profile option to this value will include CRITICAL_ERROR messages in the log file.

• WARNING – Messages trapped by the application. These errors were handled by the application but the system administrator should be aware of them occurring. Setting the profile option to this value will include ERROR as well.

• INFORMATION – Additional messaging is added to the log file that includes processing information. Setting the profile option to this value includes CRITICAL_ERROR, WARNING, and ERROR log messages. This is the default setting.

• DETAIL – Messages that summarize what is written to the log file. Setting the profile option to this value includes CRITICAL_ERROR, WARNING, ERROR, and INFORMATION log messages.

• TRACE - Messages that provide detailed debugging information. Setting the profileoption to this value includes CRITICAL_ERROR, WARNING, ERROR, INFORMATION, and DETAIL log messages.

The default value is INFORMATION.

BNE DisableValid values are Yes and No. If set to Yes, all Web ADI functionality is disabled. This can be set at the Site, Application, Responsibility and User level.

BNE Document LifetimeSpreadsheets created by Web ADI can be saved, opened, and used again at a later date to interact with the E-Business Suite. Use this option to disable a spreadsheet from connecting to the database after a specific length of time from the creation date. Select from a range of hours, days, months, or years.

BNE Enforce Parameter ValuesIf a required parameter is invalid or not sent by the form function calling the Web ADI service, the user will be shown a page to enter the required parameter so the create document process can be completed. If this profile option is set to Yes, users will not be able to enter parameter values and will be shown an error stating that they should have their system administrator edit the form function to correct the problem.

BNE Excel Worksheet Maximum Sets the maximum number of worksheets that Web ADI can create within a workbook. This is unlimited by default.


Note: The number of worksheets that can be added to a spreadsheet is limited only by the available memory resources. Setting this option allows you to manage your memory resources and avoid potential crashes for users working on older, less resource-rich clients.

BNE Redirect Portal URLDefine the URL users are sent to when they press "Cancel" or "Return" in the create document page flow. Users are also sent to this location after their document is created. If this profile option is not set, users are sent to the Self Service Personal Home Page.

BNE Upload Batch SizeAll of the rows in the spreadsheet are uploaded from the client machine to the middle tier at once; the Upload Batch Size determines the number of records sent to the database at one time from the middle tier. The default is 100. System administrators can adjust this setting to find the batch size that optimizes upload time for their environment. This setting should not be less than 5 or greater than 200. Network packet sizes, latency and average number of rows uploaded from the client affect the optimal setting of this value. If there is a large distance between the middle tier and the database, you may want to increase the batch size to reduce the number of trips over the network. You also want to make sure that the amount of data sent in a batch takes full advantage of the size of packets on your network using the average number of rowsusers will be uploading.

The default value is 100.

BNE XML Response CompressionIf set to null or "Yes", XML compression is used when downloading data to the spreadsheet. Some browsers do not support this XML compression, therefore you may need to set this option to "No" for some users to avoid errors.

Setting Up Form Functions, Menus, and ResponsibilitiesWhen you install Web ADI, it automatically creates form functions, menus, and responsibilities.

Form FunctionsThe following table describes the form functions that are automatically created. Note that integrators are not installed with Web ADI, but with their associated products.


Form Functions

Form Function Description

BNE_ADI_CREATE_DOCUMENT

Allows users to access the Create Document Page flow for the General Ledger - Journals integrator. This is a series of pages that prompts users for parameters that determine how a formatted spreadsheet is generated on the desktop.

BNE_ADI_DEFINE_LAYOUT

Allows users access to the user interface to define layouts. Users are prompted for a layout in the Create Document Page flow. The layout determines the fields that are included in the spreadsheet, their placement, and whether they have default values.

BNE_ADI_DEFINE_MAPPING

Allows users to access the interface to define mappings. Mappings are used to import information into a spreadsheet. Users can select content in the Create Document Page flow to import information from a text fileor from Oracle Applications tables into a spreadsheet. The mapping associates data in the content with fields in the spreadsheet.

BNE_ADI_DEFINE_STYLESHEET

Allows users access to the define style sheet user interface. The style sheet sets the colors and font styles used in the spreadsheet.

BNE_ADI_LOB_MANAGEMENT

Specific to the Human Resources application. You do not need to give users access to this form function unless they use mail merge functionality in Oracle HRMS. See MetaLink note 394265.1 for more information on HRMS functionality.

BNE_ADI_SETUP_OPTIONS

Allows system administrators to define right-justification and zero-fill format masking for key flexfields. This setting will override the flexfieldvalue set definition.

MenuThe Desktop Integration Menu is created with the following prompts:

• Create Document (BNE_ADI_ CREATE_DOCUMENT)

• Define Layout (BNE_ADI_DEFINE_LAYOUT)

• Define Mapping (BNE_ADI_DEFINE_MAPPING)

• Manage Document Links (BNE_ADI_LOB_MANAGEMENT)

• Setup Options (BNE_ADI_SETUP_OPTIONS)


• Define Style Sheet (BNE_ADI_DEFINE_STYLESHEET)

ResponsibilityThe Desktop Integration responsibility is created with the Desktop Integration Menu.

Granting Users the Ability to Create DocumentsThe sections that follow apply to integrators that are accessed through the Create Document page flow. The following topics are covered:

• Using the Seeded Form Functions, Menu, and Responsibility

• Creating Form Functions

• Including Parameter Values in the Create Document Form Function

• Specifying Skipped Pages Parameters

• Providing Users a Secured List of Values

• Including Parameters for Default Values in Layouts

Using the Seeded Form Functions, Menu, and ResponsibilityWeb ADI's Desktop Integration menu includes the Create Document, Define Layout, and Define Mapping form functions. For all other products, consult your product documentation for information on accessing these functions.

You may also choose to create other responsibilities and menus to restrict access to the available form functions. Some users may only need to create documents, while others are responsible for creating mappings and layouts.

Creating Form Functions Using the Create Document Page FlowYou can go through the Create Document page flow procedure and select all parameters, then save the parameters to a form function.

Specifying Skipped Pages ParametersIf a page is to be skipped, every parameter on that page must be specified in the form function. Follow these steps to create a form function with specified parameter values:

1. Log in to Self Service Applications and select the Create Document Function (make sure this user has the System Administrator responsibility).

2. Select the parameter values you want to save in the Page Flow.


3. Click Save in the Review Page. The Select Shortcut window opens.

4. Enter a name for your form function in the Shortcut Name field. This name will have the prefix BNE_ when you search for it in Oracle Applications.

5. Select Save to Form Function.

6. Select the parameters you want to save to the form function and determine if the Review page will be displayed.

If all the parameters are saved and you choose not to display the Review page, the document will immediately be created when the user selects the form function. If you do not save some of the parameters, users have to manually select them when they create documents.

Note: Viewer and Reporting must be saved if they are not be displayed to users. If you have users with different versions of Excel creating documents for upload in English, you may want to create separate form functions; one for each viewer.

7. Log in to Oracle Forms with the System Administrator responsibility and attach the form function to a menu. Under Application, select Menu, and search for BNE_ (name entered in Step 4). You must attach the function to the same menu that contains the form function that grants access to the integrator.

Creating and Editing Form Functions in Oracle FormsSystem Administrators can create form functions using these steps for integrators that are used through the Create Document page flow; however, see your product documentation for the form function that must be placed in the same menu structure for access to the integrator.

To create your own form functions:

• Set the Type to SSWA SERVLET FUNCTION for all Web ADI form functions

• Set the HTML Call for all Web ADI form functions to BneApplicationService

• To create a form function allowing people to create documents, set the parameter field to bne:page=BneCreateDoc

• To create a form function allowing people to define layouts, set the parameter field to bne:page=BneDefineLayout

• To create a form function allowing people to define Mappings, set the parameter field to bne:page=BneMappingTemplate


Including Parameter Values in the Create Document Form FunctionWhen users create documents they are prompted for a number of parameters that determine how their spreadsheet will be created. These parameters can be specified within the form function to secure parameter values and force users to use certain values. When users access the Create Document page flow, pages prompting users for values specified in the form function will not be displayed; this reduces the number of steps they must take to create documents.

The table that follows provides a description of each parameter that determines page flows.

Parameters for Page Flows

Page Parameter Required/Optional

Description

Viewer Bne:viewer Required The desktop program that will be used to view the spreadsheet.

Viewer Bne:reporting Required If selected, the spreadsheet created will not allow upload of data.

Integrator Bne:integrator Required Indicates that the Oracle Application task users will be using the desktop.

Layout Bne:layout Required The Layout determines the fields in the spreadsheet, their placement, and their default values. Valid values depend on the integrator you select.

Content Bne:content Optional Points to information that will be imported into the spreadsheet. Valid values depend on the integrator you select.

Map Bne:map Required, if Content is chosen

Provides the relationship between data in the content and fields in the spreadsheet. Valid values depend on the integrator you select.

Providing Users a Secured List of ValuesYou might want to grant access to several parameter values. Hard coding these parameter values in the form function would require you to create a Self-Service link forevery parameter you wish to grant to a user. You can work around this by allowing users to choose from a restricted list of parameter values.

For example, twenty layouts may be defined for an integrator; however, you can create a form function that will allow users to see only ten. You can do this by defining more


than one value for the bne:layout parameter in the form function definition.

1. Log in to Oracle Applications with the System Administrator responsibility.

2. Navigate to the Form Function Screen and look up a form function that calls the Create Document page flow.

3. Go to the Parameter field and locate the parameter you want to secure and add a comma-separated list of valid values, or a partial value that includes a wild card that will return more than one parameter value.

Parameter values can be referenced by their internal key names or by their user visible values.

The sections that follow discuss how to enter internal keys, enter user values, and use wild cards.

Entering Internal Keys1. Parameter values are saved in the format of the Application Short Name:Key; For

example, bne:integrator=

BNE:JOURNALS_120&bne:layout = BNE:FUNCT_ACT_SINGLE_120.

To give the user two options for a Layout, you would enter bne:layout=

BNE:FUNCT_ACT_SINGLE_120,BNE:FUNCT_ACT_MULTIPLE_120.

2. If you are only using the Journals Integrator, all of your parameter values will be using the BNE Application Short Name.

To ensure that you have entered a valid value for a parameter, go through the Create Document page flow, select the layout you want to grant to users, and click Save on the Review page to create a form function. Then log in as System Administrator, look up the form function and see the key that was saved for the layout.

Entering User ValuesIf you do not know the key value for a layout, your form function may reference the name of the layout that is seen in the Create Document page flow.

1. Navigate to the Select Layout page and choose the layouts you want the user to access. Layouts may be "Functional Actuals – Single" and "Functional Actuals – Multiple".

2. Log in as System Administrator and look up the form function.

3. Go to the parameter field and enter a comma separated list of the layout names using the following format:


parameter name=USER_NAME:user name,USER_NAME:user name

In this example, you would enter: "bne:layout=USER_NAME:Functional Actuals – Single, USER_NAME:Functional Actuals - Multiple".

Note: The user name you enter in the form function must match thenames you see in the Create Document page flow.

Using Wild CardsYou may create restricted lists by entering a value for the bne:layout parameter that includes a wild card (%). The wild card character (%) must be escaped with "25". In this example, you would enter bne:layout=USER_NAME:Fu%25 to restrict the list to "Functional Actuals – Single" and "Functional Actuals – Multiple". These will be the layouts shown to the user because they are the only layouts whose names begin with "Fu".

Frequently Asked Questions B-1

BFrequently Asked Questions

This appendix covers the following topics:

• General Issues

• Technical Issues

General IssuesGeneral issues are as follows:

Is the ADI client server version still supported?Version 7.2 will be supported for release 11 and 11i only; not for release 12.

Do any Web ADI components need to be installed on the desktop?No. You need only a Web browser supported by the E-Business Suite and Microsoft Excel.

How will new integrators be added?New integrators will be added as separate patches. These patches will be shipped with the products related to the integrators.

Why can't I get past the login page after pressing a Web ADI form function on the PHP?The GUEST user name defined in the .dbc file cannot be the same as your Oracle Applications user name. When you select a Web ADI form function, a guest login to thedatabase is performed based on the .dbc setting. The Web ADI application requires log in to the database before it can attempt to take any action, such as validating your login name and password or getting the profile option to see that Single Sign-On (SSO) serversupport is enabled. Reference information regarding the Guest user account can be found in the Oracle Applications System Administrator's Guide.

B-2 Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide

Are reference fields supported when entering key and descriptive flexfield information into the spreadsheet?No. Reference fields are not currently supported; however, there are plans to support this Oracle Applications Flexfield feature. See enhancement 2809958 for the current status of this feature.

My spreadsheet has only 10 rows for entering data. How can I increase the number of lines so that I can enter more than 10 records?

Yes, you can increase the number of rows to enter more records. See Adding Rows to a Spreadsheet, page 3-5.

Can I copy my entire Web ADI worksheet to a different workbook?You cannot copy an entire worksheet to a different workbook; however, you can copy row and column values from one worksheet to another Web ADI worksheet and then upload the data. Web ADI does not support copying the entire worksheet because Excelcopies only the rows and columns. If you copy entire worksheets, the macro code behind the Web ADI worksheet is not copied over to the new sheet.

Can I copy a spreadsheet to a PC running a different language?Spreadsheets can be copied between operating systems running different languages under the following conditions:

• A spreadsheet generated on any language on Windows 98, NT, 2000, ME, or XP canbe copied and used on a Windows NT, 2000, or XP machine running a different language. For example, you can copy spreadsheets from French Windows 98 to German Windows NT; however, you cannot copy spreadsheets from French Windows 98 to German Windows 98.

• A spreadsheet that is copied onto a Windows 98 or ME machine must be generated on an operating system running the same language.

Where can I find client/server ADI functionality in R12?The Web versions of Analysis Wizard, Budget Wizard, Journal Wizard, Report Wizard, and Account Hierarchy Manager are available within the General Ledger product. The Web versions of Physical Inventory and Asset Wizard functionality can be found withinthe Assets product. Submitting and publishing standard, variable, and FSG reports can be found in Oracle Report Manager.

Technical IssuesTechnical issues are as follows:

What versions of Excel can be used with Web ADI?Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003 are currently supported.

Frequently Asked Questions B-3

Why is Excel 97 or greater needed?VBA code in Microsoft Excel 97 or greater is capable of receiving OLE commands from the browser.

What internet browsers are supported by Web ADI?All browsers supported by the E-Business Suiteare supported.

Is the Apple Macintosh supported?Although not currently supported, work is currently underway to support Apple Macintosh.

How does Web ADI utilize the Internet Computing Architecture (ICA)?ICA is a three-tiered framework with desktop, middle, and database tiers. For Web ADI, the desktop tier will make a direct connection to the HTTP server. The business logic is controlled through Java components, which are executed by an appropriate module. The modules connect to the data server as necessary to complete their assignedinstructions. Web ADI business logic and properties will be installed on the middle tier. The Apache listener is required on the middle tier.

How does the desktop tier communicate with the middle tier?The desktop tier makes a direct connection to the HTTP server on the middle tier. It uses standard Web protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, or SSL.

What is the role of the middle tier?Oracle Applications software and tools are deployed and managed on this tier. This tier eliminates the need to install and maintain application software on each desktop client. The software also has the potential to scale with load by moving components to separate hosts. Network traffic is kept low by passing only data, instead of passing graphical information like some screen scraping technologies. Web ADI business logic is installed on the middle tier.

How does the middle tier communicate with the database tier?The middle and database tiers communicate via SQL*Net, Net8, or JDBC.

What is the role of the database tier?The database tier holds all data and data-intensive programs, and processes all SQL requests for data. Machines in this tier do not communicate directly with applications users, but rather with machines on the middle tier that mediate these communications, or with other servers on the database tier.

How can I import text files in a multi-byte environment?If you use a multi-byte environment, you must save the text file with UTF-8 encoding before importing the text file.

B-4 Oracle Web Applications Desktop Integrator Implementation and Administration Guide

Does Web ADI support Single Sign-On (SSO)?Yes. Web ADI is SSO capable when used in an E-Business Suite environment. No extra configuration of Web ADI with SSO is required.

Index-1

Index

Aaccessing from personal home page, 1-3accessing through Oracle Applications, 1-4accessing Web ADI

using seeded form functions, A-6

Cclient/server ADI, B-2concurrent requests

monitoring, 3-8creating

document form functions, A-8documents (overview), 3-1spreadsheets, 3-2

Ddefining

layouts, 2-2layouts (overview), 2-1mappings, 2-9mappings (overview), 2-8

downloadingdata to spreadsheets, 3-8

Eentering data to a spreadsheet, 3-5, 3-6

FFAQ

general issues, B-1

technical issues, B-2filters

hide in spreadsheet, 3-4show in spreadsheet, 3-4

flexfieldssetting up format masks for key flexfields, 2-11

Ggranting users ability to create documents, A-6graphs

viewing, 3-5

Iinstalling Web ADI , A-4integrators

availability, 1-3

Kkey features, 1-2key flexfields

setting up format masks, 2-11

Llayouts

defining, 2-2

Mmappings

defining, 2-9overview, 2-8

Index-2

monitoringconcurrent requests, 3-8

multiple worksheets, 3-5

Ooverview, 1-1

Ppatch

installing Web ADI, A-4process flow, 1-3process flow for Web ADI, 1-3

Rrows

adding to spreadsheets, 3-5

Ssecured LOV

providing, A-8Setup Options, 2-11skipped pages

specifying parameters, A-6spreadsheets

adding rows, 3-5creating, 3-2downloading data, 3-8entering data, 3-5, 3-6filters, 3-4graphs, 3-5uploading data, 3-6

style sheetdefining, 2-10

Uuploading

data to spreadsheets, 3-6

WWeb ADI

accessing using seeded form functions, A-6creating form functions, A-7installing, A-4

worksheets

uploading multiple, 3-5